Solemn Ties
by ReiShyloh
Summary: HermioneDraco: Hermione has a strange secret, and accidently spills it to the least suspecting character, Draco. He is scared for her, but what awaits them both around the next turn?


"Hermione, oh, Mione!" a cajoling voice called, "I know you're here, you can't hide from me!" It sounded as if it were only just down the hall. A girl with curly brown hair looked up, wide-eyed from her books. /Oh, God not _him_/ She scrambled from the bed and ran to the fireplace in her room, grabbed a handful of floo powder, and tossed it into the flames. Footsteps could be heard stopping at her door, and just as she yelled, "Drake O' Malleys!" into the green flames, a head could be seen poking from the other side of her bedroom door. Her uncle would let her stay until her parents got home from the office… hopefully.

Hermione tumbled out of the fireplace coughing and dusting ash off her pajamas, cringing as she remembered she hadn't had time to get a coat. Finally, she looked up from her still ashy self and gasped. She was standing in front of a bed, a king-size four poster large mahogany bed. She also noticed she wasn't alone. A silver-haired boy gaped at her from across the room, shirtless. He immediately grabbed a robe lying on the side of the bed and shrugged it on. Hermione stood speechless before him, trembling. She was in another guy's room only half-dressed. He would try to take advantage of her too! She backed away towards the fire and almost stumbled into the flames, but stopped herself just in time.

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I- I didn't mean to, honest! If you could just," she started but then began mumbling incoherently, "No! He's still there! I could go to, no, they don't have floo! Oh no, no, no, this isn't good at all. He'll come looking for me! Where can I g-, " She stopped, jumping, when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione? Hermione Granger?" He asked in a strangely confused voice. He had been stricken when he first saw her, but now he was even more so, what was wrong with Granger? She looked startled for a moment, almost smiled, and then went back to being freaked out, all in a matter of ten seconds.

"Oh God… Malfoy?" She asked, apprehensive of his presence.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked.

"Wha? Oh, of course I am. I was, umm… just in the neighborhood and wanted to, uh, stop by! Yeah that's it." She said.

He looked skeptically at her, "In your pajamas? Judging by the state of those ashes, you were halfway across the country." Hermione visibly cringed and looked at him, a small pout forming on her lips.

"Umm, yes?" She unsurely said.

He frowned at her, "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

"What? No! Of course not! I ju-," A figure stepped out the fireplace. "Jacob?" She asked sounding broken.

"Ah, Jamie, I've finally found you. Come now, I have something to show you," he smoothly said while glaring at Draco. She whimpered softly and allowed herself to be dragged to the fireplace. The dark man threw in the powder and shoved them both inside. He whispered the return address and they flooed off, leaving Draco behind, stunned.

Ohswirlythings(time break!)

Draco Malfoy sat down at the head of his Slytherin table as everyone walked into the Great Hall. He was troubled; he had been ever since that strange run-in with the know-it-all-Granger. He felt responsible for her, but only a little. She had looked so frightened, but she also had looked beautiful in her night gown. She might've been killed… or worse, been tortured.

The hall suddenly became quiet as McGonagall brought in the beat-up Sorting Hat. It looked as though it had quite a few new patches. They should get rid of that raggedy old thing. It was a disgrace of a hat. The first years came in and it sang its song, sorting almost two-thirds of the new students into Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Only a few choice students got into Slytherin, it was the smallest house at Hogwarts. All the rest went to the goody-two-shoes of a house, Gryffindor. When all were sorted, Dumbledore stood and addressed the school.

"Fellow wizards and witches, welcome to a new year of Hogwarts where you'll find both friends and rivalries fit for kings and queens! This year I am glad to announce that there will be three new classes. These will be taught by Mrs. Falin, Mr. Richardson, and Mrs. Doun. I hope you will welcome these new teachers happily. More information will be given out by your Head of House. Mr. Filch would like me to remind you that the Enchanted Forest is out of bounds. That is all, enjoy your feast!" He sat down with a flourish and began piling large amounts of food on his plate.

Draco chewed on a piece of chicken while searching Granger out. He found her a few moments later, but she looked bad. It wasn't the bruise on her cheek that she had poorly covered, but more of how she looked starved and was eating very slowly, as if contemplating something. She left after shortly finishing a glass of pumpkin juice and a bagel. Well, so much for being interesting. He finished his chicken and went down to his common room.


End file.
